2) Jack Flaherty
The National League Championship series showed us both the best and worst of Jack Flaherty. From racking up six K’s and only allowing two hits over seven scoreless innings in Game 1 to giving up eight runs in a span of three innings, the California native presents an interesting case…or rather a gamble.
In Flaherty’s best campaign (2019), the then-Cardinals starter posted the lowest WHIP and H/9 through 33 starts, finishing fourth in best pitcher honors in the National League. Then came a three-year span where Flaherty never pitched over 80 innings in those seasons, held back by various ailments. Follow that with a 108-inning jump from 2022 to 2023 and you can guess how things panned out for the right-hander (8-9, 4.99 ERA, 1.58 WHIP).
But once again, Flaherty displayed he can return to top form, making 18 starts for the Detroit Tigers and pitching to a 2.95 ERA, .956 WHIP, and 3.48 FIP before being sent to his hometown team in a deadline transaction. Seeing what Flaherty can do on the biggest stage, there is no question several teams will be interested in the 29-year-old’s pitching services.
If there is anything the Mets learned from their six-game date with the World Series champions, it’s the importance of quality arm depth. Flaherty slots into the rotation as a top-end starter, capable of putting up a respectable number of innings and digging deep when it matters most.